It's important to have a backup plan in the great outdoors. An extra pair of clean underwear is nice, but fire-starting tools are essential. DIY weblog Make details how to make a no-fail fire source from a few pieces of old t-shirt.

Although most carry a lighter to get things fired up in the great outdoors, it's still smart to have a backup source for fire-starting like char cloth just in case. A few cut pieces of cotton jersey and an Altoids tin will give you just that.

After charring the squares of cut t-shirt (check out the video above) and things have cooled off 100%, make sure to transfer your Char Cloth pieces to a water safe container like a film canister or the like. Also keep in mind that an upside down fire is still one of our favorite ways to keep your campfire burning bright once the char cloth has served its purpose.

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As winter approaches and we're putting together our winter emergency kits, char cloth doesn't seem like a terrible thing to have handy, either. What do you carry with you when you head out into nature? Do you have a favorite way to light up the night? Let us know in the comments.